Christmas Crafts in July: Make Ornaments Using Nature

Published by Ciara Gelfo

Often times we wish we had had the foresight in the summer to gather up some of nature’s bounty to use in the winter for our holiday decorations. You can add some special touches to your Christmas by getting a jump on the ornament making now. You can use a store bought flower preservative or allow the flowers to dry. Either look is right.

Cedar Balls

Materials Needed:

Styrofoam balls

Pieces from a cedar tree

Scissors

Ribbon

Pin

Glue

Quart size ziploc bags

Cut 2″-3″ pieces of cedar off the end of the branches.

One at a time poke the end into the styrofoam ball. If you have difficulty getting one to stay just add some glue to the stem. Fill the entire ball.

Cut a 12″ piece of ribbon for a hanger. Add a dab of glue to the top of the ball. Fold the ribbon in half. Insert the pin into the ribbon near the salvage ends and continue with the pin right into the ornament.

Seal each ornament in a ziploc bag so that the scent of the cedar stays until winter when you pull them all out.

Rosebud Balls

Materials Needed:

Rosebuds

Stryo foam balls

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Scissors

Lace

Ribbon

Pin

Measure tape

Pencil

Ziploc bags

Trim each rosebud back right up to the bud itself. Hot glue each bud onto the ball. Leave an area on top to add the hanger. You can always go back and fill in any gaps with buds after the fact.

For your hanger, take a piece of lace about 8″ long and glue it into a circle on top of your ball.

Next fold a 20″ piece of ribbon in half. Measure 1/2″ from the selvedge end and mark. Now measure 1 3/4″ from the end and mark. The last mark will be at the 3″ mark from the selvedge ends.

Now push the pin through both layers of ribbon at the 3″ mark. Turn the pin back into the ribbon at the 1 3/4″ mark. And then turn the pin back into the ribbon once more at the 1/2″ mark. This will create a small bow at the point the ribbon touches the ball in the center of the lace.

Add a bit of glue to the center of the lace and push the pin into the center top.